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Porgy and Bess

Now available on DVD and Blu-ray!
Visit shop.sfopera.com to purchase your
home edition today. For more information on this historic media release, visit our press room.

George Gershwin miraculously melded classical music, popular song, jazz, blues and spirituals in this quintessentially American masterpiece that tells the poignant story of a crippled beggar, the headstrong woman he loves, and the community that sustains them both. General Director David Gockley, whose association with Porgy and Bess restored it to a mainstay of the operatic repertoire, presents director Francesca Zambello's critically acclaimed production.

A “powerful Porgy and Bess…persuasively led by conductor John DeMain and sung by a strong cast headed by Eric Owens and Laquita Mitchell in the title roles…. Owens brought vocal heft and dramatic sensitivity to the part of Porgy. Mitchell gave an evocative performance as Bess, compounded of tempestuous need and penitence. Lester Lynch was a convincingly thuggish Crown, and the handsome, ill-fated couple Clara and Jake were superbly played by soprano Angel Blue and baritone Eric Greene.”

Cast

Bess:Laquita Mitchell

Porgy:Eric Owens

Sportin' Life:Chauncey Packer

Crown:Lester Lynch

Clara:Angel Blue

Serena:Karen Slack

Maria:Alteouise deVaughn

Jake:Eric Greene

Mingo:Michael Bragg

Annie:Malesha Jessie

Strawberry Woman:Samantha McElhaney

Lily:Amber Mercomes

Robbins:Michael Austin

Crab Man:Ashley Faatoalia

Peter:Calvin Lee

Nelson:Frederick Matthews

Jim:Earl Hazell

Frazier:Kenneth Overton

Undertaker:Darren K. Stokes

Detective:Richard Farrell

Policeman:Louis Landman

Coroner:John Minágro

Ensemble:Porgy and Bess Ensemble

Production

Conductor:John DeMain

Production/Director:Francesca Zambello

Associate Director:Rita D'Angelo Tikador

Set Designer:Peter J. Davison

Costume Designer:Paul Tazewell

Lighting Designer:Mark McCullough

Chorus Director:Ian Robertson

Choreographer:Denni Sayers

Synopsis

PART ONE

In the courtyard of Catfish Row, Clara sings a lullaby to her child while her husband, Jake, and some of the other men are playing craps. The beggar Porgy comes in to join the game; he defends Crown’s woman, Bess, whom the others are gossiping about. When Jake accuses him of being soft on her, Porgy says that he isn’t soft on any woman; God made him a cripple and meant him to be lonely. Crown arrives with Bess. He is drunk, and when he loses at craps, he provokes a fight and kills Robbins with a cotton hook. Crown runs to hide but tells Bess he will be back. Sportin’ Life, the local pimp and drug dealer, offers to take Bess to New York with him, but she refuses. No one will give her shelter before the police arrive except Porgy. Later, Porgy and Bess show up at Robbins’s funeral, where his widow, Serena, is leading the mourners. The police enter and arrest Peter as a “material witness.” Serena convinces the undertaker to bury Robbins for less than his usual fee. As the scene ends, Bess leads the mourners in a spiritual as they reluctantly allow her a place in their community. A few weeks later, Jake and the fishermen are working on their nets as Porgy compares his life to theirs. Maria, the matriarch of Catfish Row, dispatches Sportin’ Life when he tries to sell his “happy dust.” Lawyer Frazier arrives and sells Bess a divorce for a dollar; when he learns that she and Crown were never married, he raises his fee to a dollar and a half. Sportin’ Life asks Bess again to come to New York with him and tries to give her more dope, which she refuses. Porgy chases him away, and he and Bess sing about their newfound happiness. All except Porgy leave for the church picnic on Kittiwah Island. At the picnic, Sportin’ Life sings about his own brand of religion. All are getting ready to leave when Crown, hidden in the bushes, calls out to Bess. She tells him that she is Porgy’s woman now, but he forces her to stay with him

PART TWO

Back at Catfish Row, some time later, the fishermen are getting ready to go to sea as Bess raves, still delirious after escaping from Crown. Peter wants to send her to the hospital, but Serena would rather pray over her. The street fills with people. Bess eventually emerges and explains to Porgy that she wants to stay with him but that when Crown comes she will be forced to go with him. Porgy tells her that she does not have to go with him. The hurricane bell sounds. Everyone gathers in Serena’s room and prays for shelter from the hurricane. There is a knock at the door. Crown enters and tries to take Bess away. He laughs at the frightened townspeople and sings a bawdy song to mock their prayers. Clara sees Jake’s capsized boat and runs out to find him. Bess calls for a man to go after her. Crown goes, after taunting Porgy and asking him why he won’t go. After the storm, the women are crying for their men; Sportin’ Life teases them and Bess. Crown enters looking for Bess; he and Porgy fight, and Porgy kills him. The police and the coroner come to Catfish Row the next morning; they want to take Porgy down to identify Crown’s body. Telling Bess that Porgy will be locked up indefinitely, Sportin’ Life forces some dope on her and leaves more outside her door as he leaves. She emerges, ready to accompany Sportin’ Life to New York. Porgy returns one week later. While he tries to distribute the gifts he bought with the money he made playing craps in jail, he discovers Bess is gone. He learns that she has gone off with Sportin’ Life to New York, and he decides to leave Catfish Row forever and find her.